28 Jun (NucNet): US president Donald Trump and energy secretary Rick Perry both believe no clean energy portfolio is truly complete without nuclear power and that the US needs to lead the development of new nuclear technology, Mr Perry told journalists at the White House on 27 June 2017.
According to a transcript of a press conference released by the White House, Mr Perry said: “If you want to see the environment and the climate that we live in affected in a positive way, you must include nuclear energy with zero emissions to your portfolio.”
Mr Perry said the administration believes that nuclear energy development can be “a game-changer” and an important player in the development of the US’s clean-energy portfolio globally.
“I believe we can achieve this by focusing on the development of technology, for instance, advanced nuclear reactors, small modular reactors,” he said.
Asked about problems at the Vogtle and Summer new-build projects, which have been affected by reactor supplier Westinghouse applying for bankruptcy protection, Mr Perry said “this is a massively important issue for the security of America and the security for America's allies”.
Mr Perry said the US needed a plan to remain engaged in the development of nuclear energy.
He said “one of the things we want to do at DOE is to make nuclear energy cool again”.
Mr Perry was also asked about the proposed deep geologic repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada and said no decision had been made.
The transcript of the press conference is online: http://bit.ly/2uhLRl8
